Collecting on an Old Debt
by who9847
Summary: FIRST EVER FIC Please, please, please R&R. What if Sarah wasn't the first person in her family to call on the Goblin King?


I've been lurking for about a year, and my muse finally decided she has a voice. So here is my first ever attempt at any kind of recreational writing.

Regrettably, The Labyrinth and its wonderful characters do not belong to me. Even more regrettable is the fact that David Bowie does not belong to me, either (sigh).

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Collecting on an Old Debt

None of the revelers inside noticed the owl perched outside the window. Had anyone bothered looking, it would have been immediately apparent that this was no ordinary owl, for he seemed to be brooding as he gazed at the celebratory gathering in Sarah's room. How had this happened? He really did not know, but he was certain that this was not the end. She would be his. There was a way, there had to be a way. Those contemptible words she had uttered would not, could not be end of his pursuit. He needed to think. There was a way, of this he was absolutely certain. Something was nagging at the back of his mind. Soundlessly, he took off from the branch he had been perched on and flew high into the night.

They sky was unnaturally clear after the storm earlier that evening, and he took his time so he could take in the beauty of the stars. The brisk night air rejuvenated him, and by the time he reached his destination, his head had cleared a little from the events of the night. He began to circle as he approached a castle, seemingly searching for something. His keen avian eyes spotted what he sought, an open window near the top of the castle. He slowed as he came up on it, and as he flew in, he hovered for a moment and then there was an eruption of glitter and in its place stood the imposing figure of the Goblin King. He walked back out to the balcony he had flown in from, and gazed out at his beautiful Labyrinth. There was a full moon tonight in the Underground, and it cast enough light for him to make out the details of the maze. He closed his eyes and concentrated. He could feel her magic and allowed it to course through him. Communing thus with the Labyrinth was therapeutic for him, and as he stood there at one with her, he felt himself relax, and he allowed the Labyrinth to guide his thoughts.

Memories of previous wishers flooded through him, and as he had a nagging feeling that the solution to his dilemma would be found there, he allowed the Labyrinth access to his memories, memories which began to flit through his consciousness as she tried to sort them out to find that one fleeting piece of information that would allow Jareth access to Sarah. As Jareth suspected, Sarah was no ordinary girl. Even his beloved Labyrinth called out to her. Slowly, his thoughts began to focus on the image of a wisher, a boy, from many years ago. He had been a particularly obstinate one, very much like his Sarah.

_Thirty Years Ago_

He felt the summons, but something was not quite right. After dispatching the goblins to seize the wished away child, the Goblin King made his entrance, with his usual overly dramatic glittery flourish. He found himself face to face with a boy of about ten. The boy looked at him in wonderment, wide-eyed, with perhaps a hint of trepidation. "Do you know who I am?" the Goblin King asked. He took advantage of they boy's nervousness to take in their surroundings. They were standing in the driveway of what appeared to be a condemned house, and the child in front of him was covered with dirt and grime. It would seem that he had been poking about inside the house, most likely crawling into tight recesses for reasons that would only make sense to a child.

The boy visibly swallowed as he took in the eccentric looking man who had just appeared before him. "No, sir," he replied. As he sized up the Goblin King, trying to determine whether or not this oddly dressed stranger was going to hurt him, the boy plucked up his courage and asked, "What did you do with them?"

The Goblin King decided to ignore the question and instead smiled as he held out his hand and produced a crystalline orb. "Do you know what this is?" He paused for dramatic effect. "It's a crystal, nothing more. . . but if you turn it this way, it will show you your dreams." The Goblin King looked at the youngster, and again got the distinct feeling that something was off. This boy barely acknowledged the crystal being offered as he dared look the Goblin King straight in the eyes and demanded, "Look, mister, can I just have my box back?"

The Goblin King was now truly out of sorts. This boy refused to cower and refused to play by the rules. He decided he needed more information, so he pulled back the crystal he had been offering the youngster and looked into it himself. His confusion only increased as he discovered that no one had been wished away. Through the crystal, he saw his throne room. A dog was keeping his horde of goblins at bay as it fiercely defended a little wooden box. Incredulously, the Goblin King queried, "You wished away your dog?"

"He's not my dog! I wished him away because he was trying to take the box I found - I mean, my box. But the stupid mutt snatched it away from me just before he disappeared." The boy had been pillaging inside the structure, and in all likelihood found something of interest.

"And what is so special about the box?" queried the king.

"Well. . ." began the boy hesitantly, " that's the thing. I didn't get a chance to open it. Maybe it's full of ball cards that I can sell or trade!" he replied eagerly. He had already imagined himself making a fortune selling the imagined rare and mint condition cards. "Can I just have the box back?"

"If you want them back, you will have to reach the castle beyond the Goblin City," came the reply.

"Listen, mister, I don't care what you do with the dog. I just want the box."

"That is not how it works," replied the Goblin King. This confounded boy refused to play by the rules, and his annoyance was quickly giving way to anger. "You wished them away together, so together they must either be rescued by you running my Labyrinth, or together they remain with me in the Underground."

"I already told you, I don't care about the stupid dog." His imagined fortune began slipping away as he frantically thought how he could salvage the situation. "How about we split them? You keep the dog, and take the box?"

The boy's attitude, now bordering on contempt, continued to infuriate the Goblin King. " Are you trying to make a deal with me?" he asked imperiously, straightening himself up to his full and imposing height. "Do you have any idea with whom you are dealing?"

"Look," The boy began, completely ignoring the Goblin King, "You give me the box back, and I'll do you a favor. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Jareth gaped at the boy, vacillating between incredulity, fury, and bewilderment. He finally sputtered as disdainfully as he could, "Is that the best you can do? Do you really think there is something you can do for me that would make this worth my while?" Was he really considering giving in to this whelp?

"Um, y-yes?" he ventured, still determined to turn this situation in his favor. "Maybe not right now, but someday? When I'm grown up, maybe I can, I don't know. . . if I'm like a doctor, maybe I can give you a life saving operation free of charge? Anything in my power to give, it's yours."

Despite himself, Jareth pondered the offer. He really had no need for what the boy was offering but he had even less need of the box or the mongrel. As he mulled over his options, he felt rather than heard, the Labyrinth gently urging him to accept. He was confused as to why the Labyrinth would care about the outcome of this situation, but if this was truly what she wanted, who was he to argue with her? "Very well, I accept your terms. Let it not be said that the Goblin King cannot be generous." The box suddenly appeared in his gloved hand, and he held out his arm to hand the box over to the child.

"Thanks, mister!" He snatched away the box and tucked it protectively under his arm as he ran down the driveway and away from the old house.

"Until we meet again." Jareth sincerely doubted he ever would, despite any ideas to the contrary that Labyrinth may have. What could this scrawny boy ever do for the Goblin King to fulfill his end of the bargain. Still . . . .

"Boy, what is your name?" he hurriedly called out before the boy was out of earshot.

"Bobby. Bobby Williams," he called out over his shoulder as ran pell mell down the street, afraid that the oddly dressed magician would change his mind and decide to keep the box full of treasure.

_Present Day_

Jareth smiled as he felt the Labyrinth's presence withdraw from his mind. Clever old girl! How could she have possibly known back then that the Goblin King would one day need a back-up plan in order to claim his queen. He walked back into his bedchamber and poured himself a goblet full of wine while he awaited the coming dawn.

The Labyrinth, meanwhile, began steeling herself for the battle of wills that was to come. Sarah would certainly not return willingly, and the king was sadly mistaken if he expected that lavishing her with opulent gifts would oblige her to surrender to him. Like anything worth having, winning her over would require a concerted amount of effort over time, and unfortunately Jareth was unaccustomed to working for anything. It was a given that Sarah would reject him. In response to her rejection, Jareth would no doubt rage and threaten, which would only serve to steel Sarah's will. The Labyrinth knew all this, but she also knew they all needed Sarah, Jareth most of all. Jareth was an able ruler, but if he continued to reign in the unchecked manner he had become accustomed to, it was only a matter of time before his arrogance convinced him that waging war on neighboring kingdoms was an acceptable way of extending his influence. Sarah would provide him the temperance and judiciousness necessary to avoid this scenario. In time, they would come to love each other deeply, and the entire realm would know heretofore unsurpassed prosperity, but until that happened, the Labyrinth knew the Goblin Kingdom would be in for some very chaotic and tumultuous times.

Jareth emptied his goblet and turned to look at himself in the mirror. He wanted to make sure he looked his best when he appeared to claim his bride, at once regal, imposing, and striking. Satisfied, he conjured a crystal and hurled it at the floor, disappearing in a flurry of glitter.

He reappeared in the Williams' living room, where Karen and Robert were lounging. It was late Sunday morning, and they had just woken up. Toby sat on the floor nearby, surrounded by an assortment of toys. Sarah, no doubt tired after her late night festivities, was still asleep.

Both Karen and Robert started upon the sudden appearance of the Goblin King. Karen stifled the urge to scream, while Robert stared somewhat incredulously, trying to dredge up an old, forgotten memory.

"Good morning, Bobby," came the velvety greeting from the Goblin King.

Karen turned to look uncertainly at her husband, and then back at the stranger who had just appeared from out of nowhere in her living room. Robert for his part was trying desperately to recall why he suddenly felt so ill at ease. Toby, meanwhile, saw the Goblin King and pulled himself up to a wobbly stance as he held his arms up to him while repeating, "Dah, dah, dah."

Jareth smiled as his gaze turned to Toby. He casually walked to where the toddler was and picked him up. "So, you want to dance again? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, little chap, but I'm afraid I'm here on other business today." Still holding Toby, Jareth turned his attention back to the adults. Karen looked nearly apoplectic at seeing the intruder not only holding her baby but talking to him like they well acquainted. Robert however, suddenly felt light headed as his memory finally came up with why this man looked so familiar and inspired an overwhelming feeling of dread.

Jareth saw the recognition on Robert's face and smiled. "I see you remember me."

Karen finally overcame her fear and spoke up. "Robert, do you know this . . ." she searched her vocabulary for the right word to describe Jareth, "person?"

"I met him once when I was a boy," Robert answered his wife.

Jareth looked at them both appraisingly. "I am Jareth, the Goblin King," he said, slightly cocking his head toward them as he introduced himself. He turned his attention to Robert. "Well, it would appear you now go by Robert. If you recall from our last meeting, Robert, we have some unfinished business."

Robert looked at him, uneasy with the fact that the Goblin King was still holding Toby. "Umm, Toby seems to like you. W-would you mind explaining how you know him?"

At the sound of her husband's concern for Toby, Karen found her voice. "Yes, Mr. Jared, was it? How is it that my son seems to be acquainted with someone who is a stranger to me," she stammered as she looked meaningfully at Robert.

"It's Jareth," he corrected humorlessly. "And my business is with your husband, not you madam." He turned back to Robert. "I have decided to allow you to fulfill your obligation to me," he declared, actually succeeding in sounding magnanimous in making his demand.

Karen had failed miserably in taking the upper hand in dealing with the Goblin King, but now that she was regaining her composure, she was determined to gain at least some semblance of influence in her husband's dealings with this goblin king. She turned her attention on her husband. "Robert, what is he talking about?"

Robert took a deep breath as he recounted to his wife his prior dealing with the Goblin King.

"So now," he concluded as he turned his attention from Karen to Jareth, "I guess he needs some favor from me, right? Except that I'm a lawyer, not a doctor, so I hope you're not in need of a medical miracle, because the best I can offer is legal advice or representation."

"Your vocation is of no concern to me, as it is not precisely a favor I am here for. You will recall that after your initial offer, you amended it, and it was the amended offer I agreed to," Jareth spoke evenly, in a tone that was all business.

Robert nodded in understanding. "Right, I forgot about that. So, you don't need a favor." He relaxed somewhat, grateful that whatever this Goblin King wanted at least would not jeopardize his professional reputation. "Okay, but honestly, I don't know what you could possibly want. You're a king, and you seem to possess magic, so I don't know what I could possibly give you that you can't just - you know, conjure up, or whatever it is you do."

At that moment, Toby began to chatter away happily. Jareth smiled as he bounced little Toby in his arms and in response, Toby squealed in delight and clapped his hands together. Karen and Robert exchanged concerned looks, but before either of them had a chance to say anything, they were interrupted by Sarah as she came down the stairs.

"G'morning," she said as she tried to stifle a yawn, completely unaware of the scene that had been playing out in the living room as she walked in and plopped herself down into an easy chair.

Robert, although still quite shaken from the sudden appearance of the Goblin King, tried to act as nonchalantly as possible so as not to upset Sarah. "Good morning, sweetheart."

Jareth looked at Sarah and smiled. "Yes, good morning, _sweetheart,"_ he drawled, caressing the endearment in an entirely unwholesome manner that made Sarah shudder. Robert glared at him, affronted by the Goblin King's tone, and completely bewildered as to how this goblin king knew both of his children, but certain that it was not a good omen.

Sarah was instantly wide awake and alert at the sound of that voice, and she quickly studied the scene before her. She became aware of the Goblin King holding her little brother, and she quickly marched up to him and snatched Toby away.

"What are you doing here?" she spat, trying to keep the panic out of her voice as she looked at the confused expressions on Karen and her father's faces. She held Toby possessively as she added, "I won, you can't have him."

"Silly girl, I'm not here for Toby, fond as I am of the little fellow."

Sarah looked at him suspiciously. "Then why are you here?"

His eyes raked over her as he answered, "I have some unfinished business with your father." He looked at Robert and smiled.

Robert, who had been watching their exchange with more than a little confusion, stepped forward and placed himself between the Goblin King and his children. He gave his daughter a meaningful look as he asked her, "Sarah, honey, how do you know this man?"

"Care to answer, _precious_?" He again emphasized the endearment in a manner that left little doubt he was entertaining less than honorable designs on the girl. He gave Sarah a toothy grin as he waited for her to own up to her actions the night before.

Instead, she looked at him defiantly as she answered her father. "Last night while you and Karen were out, he came and stole Toby!"

"Tsk, tsk, Sarah, you are not being completely honest," he chided her. "Tell them why I was here in the first place."

Sarah tensed as she felt Robert and Karen's eyes on her. She averted her gaze, unable to look them in the eyes as her shoulders visibly slumped. "Last night, I . . . I, um. I wished for the goblins to come and take Toby away," she said in a very small voice.

Robert went very pale as looked at his daughter. "Oh, Sarah! Sarah, what did you have to give him to get Toby back?" Robert almost dreaded her answer. Given the way this man had been leering at her, Robert feared for his daughter's innocence. His sigh of relief was audible as Sarah vehemently answered, "Nothing! I played his little game. I ran his little Labyrinth and I won. I won Toby back, and," she turned to face the Goblin King and all but screamed, "YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!"

Jareth's eyes flared as she repeated those words, and Sarah couldn't help shrinking away from him in fear, as she felt tears of rage begin to pool in her eyes. Jareth couldn't help but admire how the intensity of her emotions caused her green eyes to sparkle. She truly was breathtaking.

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong, precious. I have all the power, isn't that correct, Robert?"

A feeling of horror gripped Robert as he began to suspect what the Goblin King wanted. "WHAT? NO! You're mad!"

"I believe the exact phrase was 'anything I want within your power to give.'" He approached Sarah, who was dimly becoming aware that she was now a pawn in some game that involved the Goblin King and her father. Jareth leaned into her as he took a lock of her hair in his gloved hand and brought it up to his cheek, caressing it and breathing in deeply to savor her luscious scent. "You see, Sarah, your father made me a promise many years ago, and I am here to see he fulfills it."

"So, tell me, Robert, what exactly was in that box you bargained so hard to keep? Treasure of some sort, the means of making you a powerful man?" Jareth practically jeered at him. He knew perfectly well what the contents of the box were. As soon as he had returned to his castle, he had produced a crystal to watch as the boy opened the box.

If possible, Robert's already crestfallen appearance became even more dejected as he answered, "No." He recalled his bitter disappointment at finding nothing of interest, just some old sewing needles and spools of thread, and a few stray buttons. At the time, he had given little thought to what he had promised in exchange for the box of nothing, and even as he got older he did not give it much thought. The times it did creep into his memory, he dismissed it as the overly active imaginings of a child. Only on very rare occasions did his deal with the other-worldly "magician" (Robert had never asked who or what he was) truly intrude on his conscience, and on those rare occasions, he would have what could be described as panic attacks as he pondered when, or even if the magician would show up, and what sort of demand he would make.

Jareth tried not to gloat as he replied, "Well, it matters not. Our deal was not contingent upon you getting what you wanted, whereas I am free to choose, and I choose Sarah."

At these words, Sarah felt herself go weak. She put Toby down, lest she accidentally drop him. Karen took advantage of the fact that her beloved son was free and scooped him up protectively and went to huddle with him as inconspicuously as possible in the corner furthest from the Goblin King.

"Do you really think I'm going to stand by and let you kidnap my daughter?" Robert asked in a self-important tone.

"It's hardly kidnapping. I'm just taking what's rightfully mine. Besides, you have no say in the matter." Looking back at his prize, Jareth wrapped his free hand around Sarah's waist as he continued playing with her hair. "Come, love. The Labyrinth is waiting for you. She has chosen you to be her queen." He smirked as he leaned in closer and dropped his voice to a barely perceptible whisper, "Just think how much fun we'll have." She recoiled at the feel of his breath on her neck. "Consider your end of our agreement fulfilled," he said to Robert dismissively, never taking his eyes off of Sarah.

A panicked look of desperation flashed across Sarah's face as Jareth tightened his grip on her, pulling her flush against him. He released her hair and produced a crystal. She looked imploringly at her father. "Daddy, don't let him! PLEASE! NOOOOO!" Sarah shrieked as the crystal shattered on the floor and she and Jareth disappeared in a puff of glitter.

"Sarah!" Robert rushed forward to wrest his daughter away from the Goblin King just a moment too late.

He did not know that the morning's events would eventually lead to her happiness. He did not know that she was to be a queen, and that her ascendancy to the throne would herald a golden age for her kingdom. All he knew as he fell to his knees, tears falling freely down his cheeks, is that the sound of his daughter's scream would haunt him for the rest of his life. How was that foolish boy to know that he had traded a worthless box for something dearer to him than his own life.

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Oh, my gosh this was hard! When the idea came to me, I thought it would be easy, as there really wasn't much story to tell. Kudos to you prolific writers who consistently post chapters as long as (if not longer) than this little one-shot!

I have a couple of other story ideas percolating, so please review this one! How else am I to know whether I should even bother trying to breathe life into them!


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